Undisclosed Desires
by KawaiiRiniBunny
Summary: Like flowers, love can be found in the most unlikely of places. Itachi/Ino, AU.
1. Chapter 1

_**Undisclosed Desires**_

**Pairing: Itachi/Ino**

**Warnings: AU, slight OOC-ness, mature situations.  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.  
**

**A/N: This is obviously a crack pairing, however, I tried not to make this a crack fic. I apologize if the characters are unrecognizably out of character. I think this is the first story I'm attempting that doesn't have an OC pairing...wish me luck. Also, Ino is 19, and Itachi is 24.  
**

* * *

Screams echoed up from the bowels of the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force headquarters. The thick concrete walls and the depth of the chambers where the majority of the worse types of torture took place were designed to keep noises in and people out, but every so often a sound escaped. A wiry woman sitting in a chair jumped at the noise, and Ino Yamanaka smiled understandingly from behind her magazine. She had gotten used to the screaming, as she had been spending the majority of her time here with her father after being made a Chunnin, but she remembered how the screams and cries for mercy used to haunt her nightmares. And while she pitied the woman sitting across the room from her, she knew that one day she too would be able to ignore them.

Another cry screeched through the air, and the woman cleared her throat loudly and nervously, as if to block it out. She peered through rimless glasses at the blond young woman stretched out on the couch. "A-are you Inoichi-san's daughter?"

Ino moved her magazine to stare at the woman. She had short brown hair, rimless glasses that made her gray eyes seem big and watery, and wore a long white jacket over her standard-issue Shinobi outfit. "Yeah," she replied. "My name is Ino."

The woman nodded. "Mayu," she replied. "Have you worked here long, Ino-san?"

Ino sat up and crossed her legs, dropping her magazine on the low table in front of her. She didn't really like small talk, but she figured humoring Mayu wouldn't hurt. "Yeah, almost four years now. I started after I was made Chunnin. I'm not full-time, though- I still go on missions with my old team." _'Even though those are few and far-between, these days.'_

The Ino-Shika-Cho trio was unique in that each member was the heir to his or her clan, and therefore had extra duties and responsibilities than those Shinobi who were of lower social ranks. After their promotion from Genin to Chunnin, Ino started going on fewer and fewer missions with her teammates. And even when they weren't on missions they rarely saw each other these days. They each had new duties required of them, not only by their clans but by the village they called home. Shikamaru was often called upon for intelligence and tactical reasons, and Choji was getting extra training from his father.

And while they worked best together, even Ino admitted they were more versatile than her. Shikamaru and Choji were often added to different teams for different reasons, but Ino was only called upon under certain special circumstances. Her own abilities were far more specialized, and while that meant she was often needed here, at headquarters, she was picked for field missions on increasingly rare occasions.

Mayu must have sensed Ino's frustration, because she cleared her throat again, looking away. Ino sighed, and leaned back into the couch. "Sorry, I spaced out. What were you saying?"

"Oh," Mayu said, "I was only wondering when they would be done down there..."

"Soon enough," Ino shrugged. "We wouldn't be able to hear the screaming unless they were _really_ getting into it, and when they do that it doesn't take long for the prisoner to crack."

Mayu nodded, face going white. Ino smiled again, and picked up her magazine. "Don't worry about it. You'll get used to it eventually."

"A-and if I don't?" Mayu asked, wringing her hands together.

Looking up from her page, Ino raised a brow. "Then you'll be booted out the door. Oh, but not before we wipe your memories of everything you may have learned here. Don't want any enemy Shinobi getting word of our tactics, now do we?"

The look on Mayu's face was priceless, and Ino had to bite her cheek to keep herself from laughing. It was true, and kind of horrible, but Ino found that making light of situations like these often helped with coping with them.

The sound of the lobby's glass door opening and someone stepping inside made Ino look over. It was someone she didn't recognize, some generic Chunnin, so she turned away, uninterested. However, he made his way towards here, face blank.

"Yamanaka Ino?" He asked simply.

Flipping her hair behind her shoulder, Ino gazed at him. "That's me."

"Your presence is requested by the Hokage."

Frowning, Ino stuck out her tongue. "What, is Sakura not available or something?" Sometimes Ino was called upon for health screenings when staffing was short or Sakura wasn't enough. And while Ino considered Sakura one of her closest friends, she was still insanely jealous of her and didn't always appreciate being used as a rushed replacement.

The unnamed Chunnin shrugged. "I wouldn't know. I was just told to give you the message that you're wanted." When she didn't move, he sighed. "Immediately."

Groaning, Ino stood. "Yeah, yeah. I'm going." She turned to Mayu, and shrugged. "They probably need me to go wrestle some top-secret information from a captured missing-nin or something," she drawled sarcastically. "Hey, if they come back up before I'm back, just tell them where I went. Shouldn't take too long."

Mayu nodded bleakly. "D-don't rush back," she squeaked, and Ino left, giggling out the door.

-0-

* * *

-0-

Across the city, in another headquarters (this time that of the Konoha Police Force), Uchiha Itachi settled into a chair in the board room, just in time for the bi-monthly meeting. He sat to the right of his father, Uchiha Fugaku, who was at the head of the table, and directly across from Uchiha Daisuke, his uncle on his father's side. To Itachi's left sat Uchiha Shisui, fiddling with a kunai and leaning back in his chair. Shisui was a stark contrast to the other grim-faced men, who sat straight up in their chairs, hands either on the table or crossed over their chests.

Itachi and Shisui were often contrasted as well, Itachi recalled as he waited for the meeting to start. They were best friends, but no two friends were ever more different. _'Well,'_ he thought, smiling inwardly, _'Perhaps other than Sasuke and Naruto, that is.'_ Itachi's hair was long and straight, Shisui's was always curled and tangled in a short mop on his head. Itachi was quiet and gentle, Shisui was loud and clumsy. Girls flocked to Itachi without him even wanting them too, and Shisui was always flirting and chasing women, despite his low rate of success. Itachi's face was lined from stress, and Shisui's was always bright and fresh, despite him being a few years older.

So, yes, they were quite different. But Itachi loved Shisui like a brother, and he knew Shisui felt the same about him. He trusted him with his life, which wasn't something he felt about just everyone.

"Ahem." Itachi was snatched out of his reverie by the sound of his father's 'listen to me now' grunt. He sat up straight in his chair as Shisui let the front legs of his drop to the floor as the rest of the room quieted.

"Reports," Fugaku demanded, foregoing any sort of welcome or greeting. He looked to his right, at Itachi, who cleared his throat and stood.

"There were three reports from the Tea District in the last two weeks," he said smoothly, hands behind his back. The Tea District was the part of Konoha he was in command of- he handled all Shinobi-related disturbances that occurred there. "Two brawls and a smuggling operation. Those involved in the brawl were arrested and spent three nights in jail, and are now on D-rank missions for the rest of the week. Those involved in the smuggling were submitted to the Torture and Interrogation Force for further questioning."

Fugaku nodded, and Itachi sat down. "The smuggling operation...were any of the narcotics recovered?"

Shaking his head, Itachi slid a paper towards his father. "No, it was just order demands and quantity information. However, we did do blood and urine tests, and found traces of opiates in all their systems."

"From The Land of Valleys, no doubt," a voice from the end of the table spoke up. It was Uchiha Hotaka, head of the Vice Narcotics Division. He frowned, and crossed his arms. "We've been investigating reports of a massive drug operation stemming from that area. If what you've said is correct, Itachi-san, I believe it's safe to assume that they're beginning to operate in Fire Country as well."

"This is unacceptable," Fugaku muttered. He laced his fingers together and eyed every person up and down the table. "I will not tolerate any sort of narcotic operation taking hold of this village. I want-" He was interrupted by the door to the room opening, and a timid looking girl peeked her head in.

"Excuse me," she said softly, "But is Uchiha Itachi in here?"

Fugaku glared. "This is a private meeting. He is needed."

Itachi peered over his comrades heads and looked the girl in the eye. She blushed, and bit her lip. Itachi fought the urge to sigh.

"I know, I'm sorry, but Hokage-sama has urgently requested his presence. Like, um, right now," she added.

Fugaku opened his mouth to say something, but Itachi rose from his seat. "It won't take long, father," he said quietly. "I've given my report, and I'll be back in time for my patrol."

Jaw clenching, Fugaku merely nodded, and turned away. Patting a bummed looking Shisui on the shoulder, Itachi left the room with the blushing girl, shutting the door smoothly behind him.

"What is this about?" He asked quietly. The girl shrugged, not meeting his eye.

"Um, I'm afraid I don't know. I was just sent to, uh, retrieve you."

Frowning, Itachi rubbed his chin in puzzlement. It wasn't like he was unused to to being summoned by the Hokage- even with his current posting in the police force, he was still one of the Village's best Shinobi, and often sent on missions. But usually the missions he was sent on were planned far in advance, with him going into them knowing what was happening and having a choice in the small details. It had been a long time since he had last been sent somewhere without having prior knowledge of it. Unless...

It was no secret that Itachi was a favorite for the candidate Hokage position. He didn't particularly _want_ that particular honor, but if chosen he would take up the mantle. Despite being a Uchiha, he was extremely loyal to his village, and had its best interests at heart. And while he loved his family dearly, the village came first, and the legacy of the Will of Fire with it.

_ 'I don't think Hokage-sama would have called me forth for that out of the blue, though,'_ Itachi decided. _'That sort of decision takes time.' _

Police work often got tedious and redundant, but after a childhood filled with blood and assassinations, it was a nice reprieve for Itachi. He honestly enjoyed his evening patrols, and relaxing with a cup of tea after they were over. He knew most people tagged him as a workaholic – Shisui especially, and it wasn't completely untrue. He took his work seriously, but if given the opportunity, he jumped at the chance to relax.

As Hokage, however, he would no longer have that choice. But if it was for the good of the village, he knew he would make those sacrifices.

-0-

* * *

-0-

Ino got to Hokage Tower a little later than expected, much to the chagrin of the chunnin sent to retrieve her. She had walked a lot slower than usual, partly out of annoyance, and partly to admire the view of the village. She was definitely a people's person, and had no problem stopping to chat with friends and acquaintances on the way to the main hub of the village.

The chunnin left her at the entrance to the tower with instructions to go up to Tsunade's office. Ino took her time getting there as well, this time to give herself time to prepare. She was good at adapting to situations, but she liked knowing what she was getting into. Most likely this summons was about nothing, but still. Tsunade could have given her a _little_ hint.

When she reached the top, she noticed immediately that there were two ANBU guarding Tsunade's door. While that wasn't unusual, it stood out to Ino for some reason. There was a tension in the air, something that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She stepped past the two guards quietly, pushing open the doors to the office.

Tsunade sat in her usual spot, behind her desk. Shizune stood behind her, slightly to the right, and in front of the desk stood Sakura. However, there was fourth person in the room as well.

Itachi Uchiha stood quietly off to the side, hands clasped behind his back. Ino eyed him curiously as she stepped to the middle of the room, arms crossed.

"I summoned you over _half an hour_ ago," Tsunade said stiffly. "Itachi got here within the first ten minutes, and he was further away."

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Ino shrugged half-heartedly. "Sorry, I guess I got caught up in...stuff."

Looking like she wanted to say something, Tsunade visibly bit her tongue and sighed. "Whatever. I don't have time for this." Leaning back in her chair, she eyed the blonde kunoichi. "I'm sending you out on a mission."

_'Finally!'_ Ino screamed for joy in her head. "Where?" She asked, eyes bright.

"To the Land of Hills. We've been contracted by a very wealthy landowner who has something he needs taken care of." Tsunade pushed a scroll towards her. "The mission details are in there, but there's something that needs to be discussed beforehand."

Ino frowned. "Okay. What is it?" Usually missions were just assigned and you were sent on your way, minus the time you may need to prepare. Ino had no idea what was going on.

"This mission," Tsunade said slowly, "Is going to be a little complicated. It requires a lot of focus and several skills only a few shinobi are capable of. Itachi," she said, gesturing to the stoic man, "fulfills half of those requirements. You are needed to supply the other half."

Becoming exasperated, Ino placed a hand on her hip, and sighed. "Okay, so like spying, right? But why are you sending me on a spy mission along with Ita- Uchiha-san?" Itachi was considered one of the best, if not _the _best shinobi in the village (and quite a few others as well). With his Sharingan and Genjutsu, infiltration and recon were no problem for him. Ino was surprised she was being sent on a mission with him.

"You're not going to be spying, not like you usually do anyways," Tsunade said. "You are going to be seducing."

There was silence. The sound of the streets below could be heard faintly behind the huge hole Tsunade's words had left, before Ino laughed nervously.

"Okay, this is a joke, right? Because that's really funny, Tsunade-sama. _Super_ funny." Ino looked at Sakura, who was obviously trying to avoid her gaze. "Was it your idea, billboard-brow?"

"This isn't a joke!" Tsunade snapped. Ino glared at her.

"_Please_ try to show a little more decorum, Yamanaka-san," Itachi sighed softly. "I can assure you that Tsunade-sama is being completely honest with you."

Once Itachi said it, the mission finally started to sink in. Ino frowned. "Okay, seducing? What exactly do you mean?"

"Our client, the landowner, employs a man named Ichiro, who is the captain of his villa's guard." Tsunade continued. "He's an extremely unpleasant man with a fondness for drink and women." Ino flinched slightly. "He is suspected of running an underground slave-trading ring- mostly women and children, out of the local town. Our client wants us to find out what's going on, so the police force can move in to make formal arrests and investigations, if needed."

Ino nodded. Slave trading was illegal in all of the countries, but it was rampant in the underground world. Many corrupt officials participated in it, and it was really difficult to track. However, most slave-trading rings were connected in some way, so taking out one could potentially open the door for more liberations.

"I understand," Ino said, "But what I don't get is why you need me. Aren't some Kunoichi trained for missions like these?"

"Not anymore, no," Shizune piped in. "At least, not formally. Back before the last great war, there were schools where seduction-class kunoichi were trained. They were a class of Special Jounin, trained for one task and one task only. However, the need for them died out after the war, and the schools were shut down, as they were expensive to upkeep and very few women opt in for the missions anyways."

"Usually there are ways around these types of tactics," Tsunade said. "However, we feel that it's necessary for this mission, if we want it to succeed. Our intel says that, with enough alcohol in his system and under the, erm, _right circumstances_, he's very loose with any kind of information. We need that information."

"Why me, though?" Ino asked again. "I would have thought you would pick someone..."

"Older?" Shizune offered, and Ino shrugged. "It's said that Ichiro likes younger girls. Younger blonde girls, at that. Also..." She trailed off, looking uncomfortable.

Tsunade sighed. "To put it bluntly, Ino, you're the most...experienced when it comes to men than your peers. You have a sort of...reputation, haven't you noticed?"

"Wait a minute," Ino stopped the Hokage, and crossed her arms. "You're sending me on this mission because people think I'm a _slut_?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"No," Tsunade said through clenched teeth. "I do not think you're a _slut_, Ino. Just that you have far more confidence with the opposite sex than any of the other kunoichi your age. Theoretically Hinata could be sent on this mission, but can you see her doing this?" Ino was silent.

"Please, Ino," Tsunade said. "We need you for this. You try to get the information from Ichiro, and Itachi will scope out the town for any other leads."

"I will not let any harm come to you, Yamanaka-san," Itachi said softly.

Ino didn't know what to do. Sure, she knew she a lot of people called her things behind her back. It was mostly confidence and innuendo that gave her that reputation- she was in no way promiscuous in any way, and it was that knowledge that kept her feeling okay about the insults spat her way. This was important mission, with hundreds of lives potentially at stake. However, if she went through with it, would those names finally have a ring of truth to them? Ino didn't know if she could handle it.

_'You're a kunoichi, a shinobi of Konoha!'_ She scolded herself inwardly. _'Who cares what a bunch of jealous nobodies think? If Tsunade thinks you can do this, then you can! Besides, it's something that Sakura can't do- Tsunade even admitted that!'_

"I'll do it," she said finally, and relief fluttered over Tsunade's face.

"Good. You leave tomorrow. Stop by before, and I will have some supplies and tips ready for you. I don't plan on you going into this unprepared. Also, take the mission scroll, and read over it. It has valuable information that may help you coerce Ichiro into giving you the information."

Ino took the scroll, and turned to leave. She looked over at Itachi, who was moving towards the door as well.

"Uh, see you tomorrow, Uchiha-san," Ino called. Itachi merely nodded at her, and left as silently as he had been the entire meeting.

"This is going to be fun," Ino murmured to herself, shaking her head.

-0-

* * *

**Thanks for reading.  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Thank you to the reviewers:**

**Amaterasudaemon**

**Juliedoo**

**NarutoisVIP**

**HamHamlbm**

**RefusedAngel**

**Sleep**

**Batman**

**Yerik**

**And to everyone who followed/watched/fav'd. I appreciate it.**

**Pairing: Itachi/Ino**

**Warnings: AU, slight OOC-ness, mature situations.  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.  
**

**A/N: Sorry it took a while, I started college. I apologize if any of the characters are unrecognizably out of character, and feel free to correct me if something seems totally off. Also, I know Ino's mother is in the anime, but in this AU she is not present. All will be explained eventually.  
**

* * *

Ino didn't make it back to headquarters in time to catch her father, so she decided just to go home. She was a little relieved- she loved and trusted her father, but how was she supposed to explain to him the mission she was being sent on? It would be awkward and unpleasant, and while Inoichi was usually very balanced and calm, Ino wasn't sure if she could stop him from going to the Hokage tower to employ some of his techniques on Tsunade.

The walk also gave her a little bit of time to think about the mission. It had been late afternoon when she had left headquarters, but now the sun was setting. The dimming light was pretty when reflected in the windows of the shops and houses, but Ino hardly payed any attention. She was still unsure if accepting the mission was the right thing to do.

_'It's just work,'_ she told herself. _'It's for the good of others. So what if I have to get some old, gross guy to like me enough to spill all of his disgusting secrets? It's not like it'd be against my will. My body will still be my own.__'_ That itself made her feel better. _'Plus, I'll be with Uchiha-san...__'_

Itachi Uchiha. Now there was something to wonder about. Like many other girls her age, Ino had been smitten with Itachi's younger brother Sasuke for a while, although she was now long past that stage in her life. She had never really paid much attention to Itachi beyond the things she heard occasionally. She knew he was one of the strongest shinobi in the village, that he worked with his father in the Police force, and that he was the heir to the Uchiha clan. That was all common knowledge, anyone in the village could tell you that much. However, Ino knew a little more as well. Afterall, intelligence gathering was her specialty, and those who worked in the Torture and Interrogation Force would often chat during breaks and down-time.

For example, Ino knew that Itachi was one of the top candidates for the role of the next Hokage, and that put him at odds with his father. She also knew that despite his fearsome reputation as a warrior and assassin, he was a pacifist at heart and had a great deal of compassion for his fellow village members. On the outside he looked like the average Uchiha- striking good looks, impressive Kekkai Genkai, mastery of genjutsu and fire ninjutsu, but on the inside he defied most of those stereotypes with a gentle heart and a quiet demeanor.

_'He's still very intimidating,' _Ino decided. _'He's not easy to tease like Sasuke-kun. You never really know what's going on inside his head.' _

She reached home just as the last of the light was dying. Her father hadn't returned yet, which didn't surprise Ino. He often worked late, especially when working on an important case. Bypassing the kitchen, Ino went straight upstairs to the bathroom, and started filling the tub with water._ 'A nice bath will clear my head.'_

A few moments later, she relaxed in the warm water scented with violet bubble bath, her long hair bundled on top of her head. Ino took beauty very seriously, especially her own. She liked to take of her body, and had a painstaking routine to make sure it stayed in the state she wanted it to be. After this bath she would apply lotion to her skin to keep it smooth and supple, and after washing and exfoliating her face, she would put on night cream to moisturize and keep wrinkles from forming. She would brush out her long hair, careful not to break any of the strands, and after making sure it was soft and dry, she would carefully plait it until it hung heavily down her back. She slept with a hairband over her bangs to keep them out of her face and to keep it from becoming oily. After that, she would have a cup of tea while trimming and painting her nails with a glossy top coat to prevent cracks and breakage, and when that was all done, she would do some stretches for her neck and shoulders, put in eyedrops, and then go to bed, but not before making sure she had a glass of water on the stand nearby. It would take nearly two hours for her to finish everything, but Ino felt it was worth it. She had been on missions where she didn't bathe properly for weeks, so when she had the time, she didn't take her beauty regime for granted.

_'And I suppose it's paid off,'_ she decided, sinking lower into the water. _'Tsunade chose me for this mission, when there are plenty of other kunoichi out there.'_ Ino didn't doubt the beauty of her friends and colleagues. She made fun of Sakura for her broad forehead, but her best friend had great skin and nails. Tenten's build was great- she was tall and stocky, but held herself with a grace and elegance that Ino envied. Hinata had all the classic beauty that many girls would kill for- long, luscious hair, wide, soulful eyes, and amazing breasts (that were unfortunately hidden most of the time, to Ino's dismay. Flaunt 'em if you've got 'em, was her motto). Even Temari was a source of jealousy for Ino. She was a strong leader, and she exuded confidence and power. Ino would never admit it, but she was often frustrated with herself when in the presence of her friends. She felt like she had to work for hours and hours until she was happy with her appearance and power and abilities, all while her friends accomplished theirs without having to do much at all.

She supposed that yes, she did have an inferiority complex. _'I'll show them, though,'_ she thought drowsily, patting the dying bubbles all around her.

"Ino! I'm home," a voice called from downstairs, making Ino jump slightly. It was her father, Inoichi.

"I'm in the bath!" She called. "Be down in a few!" Groaning, she pulled the plug from the bath with her toes, sitting up as the water drained around her. _'How am I supposed to explain this to him?'_

-0-

* * *

-0-

Not too far away, on a rooftop overlooking the brightly lit Tea District, Itachi sat quietly. He had returned to his patrol immediately after being excused from Tsunade's presence. Fortunately, it looked like it would be a quiet night, which gave him an opportunity to think.

He was neither pleased nor displeased with the upcoming mission. It was just another job, and if it was helping people, then it was for the greater good. Most likely it would go off without a hitch, and he'd be back in the village doing the same patrols within a week.

The only unknown was his mission partner. Itachi knew very little about Yamanaka Ino, and what he observed today inspired even less in him. He knew she was around Sasuke's age, and that she was a member of the Yamanaka clan, and subsequently a member of the Torture and Interrogation force. Other than that, she was an enigma._ 'I suppose I shall find out more in the coming days.'_

And while his job on the mission wasn't anything he hadn't experienced before, Ino's task was slightly more troubling. Other villages employed a steady task force of seduction-class kunoichi, but Konoha's had been out of commission for a number of years. Itachi had a feeling Tsunade was using this mission for more than just coin and a chance to slow human trafficking- if Ino was successful enough, it would give Tsunade a reason to possibly start Konoha's seduction-class training again. Itachi didn't know how he felt about that.

"Something on your mind?" A voice sounded from Itachi's right. Shisui appeared out of the shadows and plunked himself down next to his friend, two covered cups and a greasy bag in his hands. "I brought dango and tea."

"Aren't you supposed to be patrolling the River district?" Itachi asked.

Shisui shrugged, popping off the top of one of the tea cups. "They can live without me for a minute or two."

Itachi smiled despite himself. This was one of the many reasons he loved Shisui- the man always knew when he needed someone to talk to. Itachi wasn't a very open person by any means, but Shisui always knew how to get him to open up. Besides, he was hungry, and the tea smelled amazing.

"So," Shisui said, sipping his tea, "Can I know what the whole Hokage meeting was about, or are you sworn to secrecy or something?"

Itachi shrugged. "I have a mission coming up. Starting tomorrow."

Shisui arched a brow. "Really? Short notice, huh?"

Nodding, Itachi picked up one of the dango skewers and examined it. "It's to the Land of Hills. There's suspicion of an undergound human-trafficking ring being directed from there."

"Who're you goin' wif?" Shisui asked, mouth full of dango. "Kurosawa? One of the Hyuga?"

"Yamanaka Ino."

_'Pfffft!'_ Shisui spit out his dango, coughing and choking in surprise. Itachi peered at him curiously.

"Is there something wrong, Shisui?"

Shaking his head, Shisui pounded himself on his chest. "N-no! You just...surprised me. She's the last person I thought you'd say..."

"Why?" Itachi pressed. Shisui obviously knew much more about Ino that he did.

Shrugging, Shisui sipped his tea to clear his throat. "Well, I don't know her personally, but she's got a...reputation, I guess. A ton of guys call her easy."

"And you're not?" Itachi said dryly. He had heard this argument before, from Ino herself up in Tsunade's office.

Shisui had the grace to blush in the dim light. "Well, yeah, but it's different when you're talking about a girl. A guy sleeps with a ton of different women, he gets a pat on the back and the guys in the bar buy you a drink every now and again. But when a girl sleeps around..." He trailed off.

"She's branded as a slut and everyone assumes she's easy," Itachi finished for him. Shisui looked at him in wonder.

"Geez, Itachi. I didn't know you talked like that."

"I don't think the rumors are true," Itachi said quietly. "It was brought up during the mission debriefing, and Yamanaka-san was very offended."

Shisui shrugged half-heartedly. "Yeah, I can see that. Okay, so maybe she's not a slut. She doesn't exactly do much to dispel the rumors, though, does she?"

Itachi didn't reply. The conversation was starting to make him uncomfortable. He didn't know how much of it was true and how much was wild speculation, and didn't want to jump to conclusions.

"We'll see," he finished. Picking up his cup of tea, he blew on it softly before taking a sip.

Shisui was silent for a while. "Just don't expect much from her, alright? I don't know her personally, but I doubt she's the kind of person you'd like to have a conversation with."

"I have conversations with _you_," Itachi said dryly, and dodged Shisui's incoming fist.

-0-

* * *

-0-

Ino met her father downstairs after getting ready for bed, and sat across from him at the kitchen table. He was looking over some documents, a steaming pot of tea in the middle of the table between them. Pouring herself a cup, Ino leaned back in her chair and waited for Inoichi to say something.

"Have a good day?" He asked mildly, and Ino nodded.

"Yeah. As good as any other, I suppose."

"You weren't in the building when I came back up," Inoichi mentioned. "Mayu said you were summoned by the Hokage."

"Oh, yeah," Ino said, trying to play it off as nothing important. "I'm being sent on a mission. Tomorrow."

That made Inoichi look up. "Really? That soon?" Ino nodded, sipping her tea. "Where to?"

"The Land of Hills. There's supposed to be some sort of human-trafficking thing going on there. I'm on a two-man team being sent to check it out."

Inoichi sat down his pen, and crossed his arms. "Hm." Her father was by no means a stupid man, and she knew that he could tell she wasn't telling him everything. "Who are you being sent with?"

Ino hesitated. "Um, Uchiha Itachi."

"That doesn't make any sense," Inoichi said almost immediately. "Itachi Uchiha is a one-man army. Why is Tsunade sending you on a mission with a man who could do it all himself?"

"Because I'm going to do something Uchiha-san can't," Ino snapped. She was tired, and she didn't like where this conversation was going.

"Oh?" Inoichi prodded. "What's that, then?"

"I'm being sent as a seduction-class kunoichi," Ino blurted, and immediately regretted it.

There was silence. Ino clutched her cup, determined to keep eye contact with her shocked father. Her heart was beating very fast- she rarely argued with him like this.

"You're not going," Inoichi said quietly after what seemed like an eternity. Ino resisted the urge to throw her cup at him.

"Yes, I am," she countered slowly. "I'm leaving tomorrow morning."

"No, you're not!" Inoichi yelled, making Ino jump. He rarely raised her voice to her, and never in a manner like this. "I am your father, Ino, and you will obey me."

Standing, Ino slammed her cup down on the table, spilling tea everywhere. "I'm an adult, _father_," she cried. "You don't get to tell me what to do anymore-"

"You live under my roof!" Inoichi stood as well. "You abide by my rules, young lady!"

"That's a bullshit reason," Ino spat. "I'm a chunnin, a soldier! I'm not a little girl anymore!" Inoichi opened his mouth to speak, but Ino cut him off. "So what? The Hokage's orders trump yours anyways, dad." Spinning around, she sped up the stairs, leaving her fuming father in the kitchen. Slamming the door to her room, she sat on her bed in an angry huff.

Downstairs, she could hear the screeching of chairs as her father gathered up his things and retreated into his office, slamming his own door. He was angry, but Ino knew she had won the argument. They were both shinobi of the Hidden Leaf, and both of them acted on the orders of their superiors. Familial ties did not come in between work.

She did feel ashamed of her reaction, however. She didn't like fighting with her father, and she knew that deep inside she would always be her father's daughter. Her mother had left them both when she was very young, and she knew next to nothing of the woman who had birthed her. Her father never spoke of her, and Ino avoided asking, knowing that it hurt him in ways she didn't understand. She had never been that curious about her anyways- she hadn't been old enough to develop a bond with her mother, and both Shikamaru and Choji's mothers had doted on her maternally. She learned more about womanhood from them, she didn't need her mother, or so she told herself and others. Her father was the dearest person to her anyways, and in her mind anyone who had hurt him in such a way wasn't deserving of her attention.

Inoichi's reaction to the mission had hurt her, though. She knew he didn't mean it, but the way he worded it made it sound like she was completely useless. To her, this mission was a chance to excel at something her friends couldn't, something only she could do. She wanted that more than anything, and although it hurt to fight with her father, it's something she would sacrifice.

And as she fell asleep, stomach churning from the yelling and upset feelings, she couldn't help but wonder what her mother would have said. _'Would she be on dad's side? Or mine?'_ As a parent, she thought she'd be on Inoichi's side. But as a woman, Ino had a feeling that her mother would have been on her side.

_'Maybe it would have been nice,'_ she thought drowsily,_ 'To have someone like that...'_

-0-

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-0-

Itachi returned back to the Uchiha compound late. As he entered the great main house, he was surprised to see his family still awake around the kitchen table, chatting quietly over bowls of green-tea ice cream. It warmed his heart in a way- he loved his family very much.

"You're home," his mother, Mikoto, smiled gently. "I saved you some dinner. Do you want me to reheat it for you?"

Shaking his head, Itachi lowered himself to the table. "No, thank you. Shisui brought dango and tea. I'm quite full."

His mother frowned. "Well, okay, although dango doesn't exactly constitute a full meal." Itachi rested on the floor, glad to be inside where it was warm.

"What did the Hokage want?" Fugaku asked, foregoing any kind of greeting. Itachi wasn't surprised- his father was probably still upset that Itachi had been taken from the meeting.

"I'm being sent on a mission," he replied, and went over the mission parameters. Fugaku had been reading the paper when Itachi began, but as he went on, he folded it up neatly and laid it next to him.

"Human-trafficking, huh?" Fugaku stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Well, at least it's something worthwhile. Who're you being sent with?"

"Yamanaka Ino," Itachi replied. "She's going to act as a seductress to gain information from Ichiro himself, while I interrogate his contacts."

There was snort from across the table, and Itachi's younger brother Sasuke laid down his spoon. "_Ino_?" He asked incredously. "You're serious?"

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Itachi bent pinched the bridge between his eyes. "I am."

"Why?" Mikoto asked, confused. "Isn't she one of Sakura-chan's friends?"

"Uh, _yeah,_" Sasuke said. "_And_ she was obsessed with me for the majority of our childhood, in case you've forgotten._ I_ haven't."

"If I remember correctly," Itachi said smoothly, "Sakura-chan was obsessed with you as well."

Sasuke failed to hide his pink cheeks. "Sakura's different. She's my teammate now."

Mikoto smiled pleasantly. "I remember now! She and Sakura-chan would follow you home from school almost every day. It was adorable."

Sasuke glowered. "It wasn't adorable! It was terrible! Traumatizing, even!"

"Ahem," Fugaku cleared his throat, and Itachi turned to look at him. "Beyond these, erm, childhood obsessions, how capable do you think she will be on this mission?"

Itachi paused. "She has little formal training in the art of seduction," he said slowly, "But I do not think that will dampen the mission's progress. Overall, I do not think my performance nor hers will be in any danger during the mission."

Fugaku nodded. "Good to hear. Her father Inoichi is a good man. The Police Force and the Torture and Interrogation Force work together closely. If she's half the shinobi he is, then I'm sure the mission will be successful."

Nodding, Itachi excused himself for the night, and headed up to his room. He had his own apartment on the other end of the compound, but he still came back to the main house every so often. His mother kept his room clean and ready for him when he did, and he appreciated being able to sleep in a house filled with his loved ones. Living on one's own was nice at times, but it was also very lonely. Sometime he just wanted to be near his family.

He was much more tired than he had thought, and felt drowsy as soon as he laid in bed, still clothed and on top of the covers. The moon was visible outside his window, and he gazed at it for a long time until he fell asleep.

-0-

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**Thanks for reading.**


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